The present invention relates to a system and method for maintaining security and safety of various items, and also for maintaining security in a security sensitive area, and particularly in an area where there are a fairly large number of security sensitive items which are stored in a secured location or locations, such as in a safe, vault, individual secured roms, locked file cabinet, locked drawers, etc.
A significant challenge in both government and in industry is maintaining security for information and also other items of value where these are handled in, for example, an area such as an office building or section thereof where a wide variety of security sensitive documents, communications, computer discs, etc. are present. Such items are often taken out of a locked cabinet or other secure place to be used for a period of time, and then are to be returned to the secured location (e.g. the locked file cabinet). Also, computer related information on floppies or hard drives, or possibly other media should be kept in a secure location when these are not being used.
In order to maintain such security it is quite common in government and industrial facilities for security people to go through the security sensitive areas during non-working hours to see if secured documents or the like have been left on people""s desk, whether locked file cabinets have been locked, the safe properly closed, etc. In addition to the efforts of such security personnel to inspect the secured area work place regularly, security professionals have for years embarked on educational programs to sensitize the work force to these sort of problems (and to heighten and sustain employee awareness in protecting classified information and sensitive proprietary information). Security professionals have traditionally focused their efforts at least in part on such things as security posters, warning signs, videos, security briefings, etc. to help remind employees of their day to day responsibilities for protecting information.
However, various scientific studies have indicated that the typical work environment can sometimes be overcome by xe2x80x9cvisual pollutionxe2x80x9d. What this means is that there can be so much visual information being pushed at us so that it is all just becoming xe2x80x9cpart of the woodworkxe2x80x9d. For example, there could be an outstanding poster at an office exit to remind employees to ensure they have locked their safes. Within a short period of time, however, the poster fails to capture the employees attention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,921 (Trikilis) discloses a security system where there is a magnet at an exit location that creates a magnetic field so that hard or soft ferrous materials on the individual who is passing to the exit would be magnetized sufficiently to generate a signal to a magnetometer. Detection of this ferrous substance causes the locking of the turn style, forcing the individual to a secondary area. A magnetic card, unique to the individual can also be utilized to facilitate identification of an individual prior to entry to the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,160 (Ekchian et al.) discloses a tag system for taking inventory. There are groups of items in the stocking area and items of each group are tagged with a printed circuit transponder, and by the interrogator the transponders, taking of the inventory is achieved.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,006 B1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,963,134 (Bowers et al) disclose an identification system in a library. Each book in the library has an RFID tag attached thereto, with an antenna for detecting the presence of the article. Further, each patron of the library has an RFID identification tag. There is an interrogator (a mobile interrogator) which can go to different parts of the library or storage areas to take an inventory of the articles that are there. Also, a video camera is provided for capturing images at the check out area, and also a video recorder for storing the video signals. Further, there is an exit interrogator monitoring the exit from the library, which identifies the article that is being taken out of the library. Also, there is a zone interrogator located at an exit of a predefined area in the library which detects the removal of the tagged article from the predefined area. All of this is integrated into a system for checking in, checking out, taking inventory, checking the articles back in, etc. Thus, in addition to monitoring all of these items, this can be utilized as a self service check in/out system. The claims of this patent relate to the self service check out system (claim 1 and following), and other claims relate to inventory control method and system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,425 B1 (Harrison et al) discloses a system for identifying multiple radio frequency based electronic tags. In the background of the invention it is stated that in modern office management where an electronic tag is attached to a physical document, many of these may be placed close together. There is also disclosed a situation where a physical object for some reason may have multiple RFID tags thereon. Various techniques are disclosed for distinguishing these various articles, and one of these is to provide electromagnetic shielding. For example, in FIG. 8 there is shown a moveable disc shaped shield which is rotatably relative to a disc having several attached electronic tags. FIG. 9 shows a slideable shield. The patent shows other techniques related to solving this particular problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,121,878 (Brady et al.) discloses an identification tag which is difficult to defeat. The problem that is addressed is that radio frequency identification (RFID which is capable of having a large number of bits of information) may be shielded from the radio link, and thus this is the Achilles heel. However, magnetic electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags are much less easily shielded from low frequency magnetic detection fields. The drawback is that these tags are only capable of storing fewer bits. Accordingly, the identification tag is a combination of both of these where there is a radio frequency transponder comprising tag electronics for storing information and a non-linear magnetic material associated with the RF tag generating a varying electronic article surveillance magnetic field with a nonlinear magnetic material in a magnetic field. These EAS tags employ the Barkheusen jump effect, which is characterized by a tendency for magnetization induced in a magnetic material to change in discrete steps as an external magnetic field is increased or decreased.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,111,502 (Lenlart et al.) discloses a surveillance system for a building, the operation of which adapts itself to various time periods such as when people are expected within the building structure or the off hours where the premises of the building would have no people therein. First, there is a personal identification system where the authorized people would have identification tags which would be read as they enter or exit from the secured premises. Then there is also a system for detecting the intrusion of unauthorized people in the premises. Also there is a xe2x80x9cvolumetricxe2x80x9d detection means for detecting the presence of a person in the secure premises. There is further a programming time table defining working periods and surveillance periods corresponding to the intrusion detecting means being put into service. The activation of the volumetric detection means can be postponed during periods when the surveillance system is in force where there are authorized people in the secured area.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,104,295 (Gaisser et al.) discloses an electronic hand tag that responds to both radio frequency and infrared waves. This is in the form of a wristband and it has two or more wires, which are electrically insulated from one another. When a wire is broken, this forms a different coded pattern. The intended use of this wristband is in a hospital environment where the health care facility xe2x80x9chas hundreds or even thousands of halls, examination rooms, patient rooms. . . xe2x80x9d etc. This is an inexpensive and short-term identification band used for knowing a person""s location within the health facility, and also performing a function such as monitoring the heart beat to determine how the patient is functioning.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,137 (Rasch et al.) discloses a book binding in which an electronic article surveillance marker can be inserted in a manner to make it inconspicuous. The claims of the patent are directed toward the combination of a book cover, a book page, and an EAS marker on which the surveillance information is stored and an adhesive applied between the book cover and the page for securing the book cover to the page and into which the EAS marker is inserted. There are also claims directed toward a machine for accomplishing this and also the method of inserting the marker into the book.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,008,727 (Want et al.) discloses a system where there is a plurality of electronic identification tags with a computer network. The problem that is addressed is that when there are a large number of tags in close physical proximity the reading of these becomes difficult. The patent discusses a large number of ramifications to how the system can be used, but the claims of the patent focus on tags having their unique identification number incorporated in a readable memory, along with an antenna. The tag also has an open or normally closed switch which turns the circuitry on or off, and this may be operated form the interrogator, which could be a hand held computer or other computer. The patent discusses a wide number of applications. For example, in FIG. 1 there is shown a physical object (shown as a cube) having multiple electronic tags on different faces of the cube.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,085 (de la Hurga) shows a rather complex system which is presented as being usable in a medical care facility where the record keeping must be maintained by doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff persons. The person has a personal identification badge by which s/he can establish a wireless communication link with a computer terminal to allow the user to log on to the terminal. When the user leaves the terminal the communication link is terminated, causing the computer terminal to lock the keyboard, blank the monitor, and/or log off the computer. Also, the system enables the person with the identification badge to collect digital information from electronic devices that report or gather data regarding the status of the patient. The patent has 26 sheets of drawings showing various flow diagrams as to how this information can be collected, processed, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,942,987 (Heinrich et al.) discloses an RFID system which is adapted for a situation where there are a very large number of tags which are potentially to be contacted. A typical situation is given on column 6, beginning on line 19, which is identifying items at a receiving dock, where many items, perhaps hundreds or even thousands may be presented to the base station (reader). Examples of data include date or time stamps that might indicate when a tag arrives or passes by a location, is purchased, etc., or location information that identifies a place where a tag is currently located or passing to be sent. In this system, the base station sends a communication by radio frequency signal with this signal designating a selected number (subgroup) of tags on all those potentially contacted, and also sending the signal that identifies unselected tags. The selected tags become active. There are follow up steps in this system also.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,917,425 (Crimmens) relates to a method and apparatus for locating a person inside an office building, hospital, or factory and the like. This combines infrared and RF communications. The persons are provided with portable transceivers that receive infrared location coded signals from a room where there is located an infrared transmitter. The transceiver transmits an RF signal with a personal identification number (PIN). These PIN signals are assigned to the person or apparatus whose location in the building is to be monitored.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,874,896 (Lowe et al.) discloses an anti-theft system in which a transponder tag is attached to an article which is to be taken from a store, and the transponder tag is activated by a transmitter near the exit, causing an alarm. However, if a customer has removal authorization as a result of paying for the article, the transponder tag is reprogrammed to modify the operational data store therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,084 (Timm et al.) discloses a security system where there is a secure area comprising a vestibule with two doors and a plurality of emergency exit doors. The two vestibule doors and all the emergency exit doors are security doors having a locking means and a disabling means for unlocking or disabling the locking means upon the occurrence of any one of certain pre-selected events associated with non-adversarial activity inside the secure area. The various events and procedures by which this is accomplished is described beginning on column 2, line 58 and following on through column 3.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,446 (Gill et al.) describes a security tag which is used for a compact disc storage container to monitor theft.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,470 (Lauffenburger et al.) discloses a security system where the tag is placed on a magnetic disc. The device interacts with the disc or tape drive to prevent the use of a secure computer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,026 (Scribner et al.) shows the system in which the location or locations of persons or items can be ascertained. This patent discloses this being used in a building where furniture is being located. Each item of furniture is tagged, and the tag responds to a radio query from a portable unit (interrogator).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,136 (Anderson et al.) relates to an antipilferage system and markers for the same. There is provided an amorphous ferromagnetic metal marker capable of producing identifying signal characteristics in the presence of an applied magnetic field. More particularly, the marker comprises an elongated, ductile strip of the amorphous ferromagnetic material having a value of magnetostriction near zero.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,891,980 (Lewis et al.), this patent having been issued in 1975, shows a security system for controlling admission of persons to a protected area. The person has a token in his/her pocket which generates two discrete frequencies when s/he approaches a door leading to the restricted area, a sensor of his/her presence sends an initiating signal, which examines the coin, this being picked up by inductive loops adjacent to the door. If the correct signals are being generated the door is automatically opened, but if not the door remains closed and an alarm may be given.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,609,741 (Miller) discloses a system to move an article, such as a piece of baggage. The article that is to be moved is provided with a radio receiver/transmitter. The person authorized to move the baggage or other article may have a key adapted to disable the circuitry against transmission of the changed frequency signal or otherwise alter the signal in a manner indicating the receiver""s authorization.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,582,931 (Newrocki) discloses a system to prevent pilferage in stores, warehouses, etc. The article that would be stolen has a radiation producer or actuator 80 which may be a transmitter, transceiver, transponder, transducer or the like, and the actuator is attached to the article of merchandise. It is stated that the actuator 80 may be severed or removed from the merchandiser article being sold at the check out or wrapping counter of a retail store.
The present invention relates to a method of reducing security risks in an area where there is at least one security sensitive item which has a secured location and/or secured configuration or situation and has a non-secured location and/or a non-secured configuration or situation.
The security sensitive item is provided with an interrogation responsive RFID member attached or otherwise associated with a security sensitive item so as to be in close proximity thereto or so as to have an operative connection or association with the item to be responsive or related to the secured and/or non-secured configuration, situation and/or location of the security sensitive item.
The RFID member is interrogated into a response to a triggering event or in a time period where the item would be desired or expected to be in its at least one secured location and/or configuration or situation in a manner that either a lack of a response would indicate the security sensitive item is in a secured location or configuration or a response or responses of a certain character would indicate that the security sensitive item is in at least one secured location and/or secured configuration or situation.
In a situation where the interrogating of the RFID member in said time or time period or in response to said trigger event or events does not result in the lack of response that would indicate the security sensitive item is in the secured location and/or situation or result in the lack of a response or responses of a character that the security sensitive item is in the secured location and/or secured configuration or situation, there is generated a communication or communications and/or there is generated an occurrence or occurrences designed and/or arranged to in turn result in a remedial step or steps to accomplish having the security sensitive item in a secured location and/or secured configuration.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the area in which the security risks are to be reduced is an area where there is an operating environment where a person or persons is or are present during operating time periods. Further, the security sensitive item or items desirably in the non-secured location and/or non-secured situation for operating time periods and/or other time periods where the non-secured location or locations and/or non-secured situation is an acceptable security risk.
Further, the security sensitive item or items are desirably in the secured location or locations and/or a secured situation for non-operating time periods and/or other periods where the non-secured location or locations and/or non-secured situation of the security sensitive item is not an acceptable security risk.
Further, the interrogating of the RFID member occurs during at least the non-operating periods and/or periods where the security sensitive item in the non-secured location or locations and/or situation is not an acceptable security risk or in response to a triggering event where the security sensitive item would be desired or expected to be in a secured location or locations and/or situation.
The method further comprises arranging the secured location and/or situation so that with the security sensitive item and its related RFID member in a secured location or locations and/or situation so that either a lack of a response from the related RFID member or a response or responses of a certain character would indicate that the security sensitive item is in the secured location or locations and/or secured situation.
In this exemplary embodiment, the secured location or locations is provided as an electromagnetically shielded location so that when the security sensitive item is located in a secured location or locations, the security sensitive item is shielded from an interrogation signal.
The security sensitive item may be an item which contains or embodies security sensitive information and/or has a value or is of a character which would make it desirable to be in a secured location, in which case this could be placed in the shielded secured location.
Also, the security sensitive item could be one which is arranged to have a secured situation by which another item or items is maintained in a secured location or locations and/or situation. This type of security sensitive item is arranged to have a non-secured situation where the other item or items is in a non-secured location or locations and/or non-secured situation. In one embodiment this can be a containing member, such as a safe, having a secured configuration wherein another item or items are securely contained in the containing member and have a non-secured configuration where the item or items in the containing member are more susceptible to be removed from the containing member. One arrangement is that the containing member has a locking mechanism which has a locked position and an unlocked position.
Also, in the exemplary embodiment, the area where the security sensitive item is located is a secured area where one or more persons are present during the operating periods and is or are engaged in an activity or activities which would reasonably require that the security sensitive item would at least sometimes be in a non-secured location or locations and/or situation within the secured area.
The generating of the communication (s) and/or generating the event is initiated in a situation where:
a) a person in the secured area is approaching an exit from the secured area, is in proximity to the exit, or is passing through the exit; and
b) this occurs during a non-operating time period or in some other time period where the non-secured location or locations and/or non-secured situation of the security sensitive item is not an acceptable risk.
The communication or communications is or are directed to the person or persons who are approaching, in proximity to, or passing through the exit in one embodiment. The communication or communications can be a visual communication, an oral communication, or a combination thereof.
In another form, the event which is triggered is creating a physical impedance to the person or persons who are approaching, in proximity to or passing through the exit. In a specific form, the physical impedance comprises locking a door at the exit.
Also, in the event that the physical impedance is initiated, there is a second exit for the secured area so that in an emergency situation, the person or persons are able to pass through the second exit. When the person or persons do pass through the second exit, an alerting communication is generated by this.
In an embodiment of the present invention the interrogating of the RFID member is accomplished by a control/interrogating apparatus initiating an interrogating signal or signals to an interrogating section sending one or more interrogations from one or more antennas into the secured area. The RFID member responds to the interrogating by modulating a response signal which in turn is received and directed to the control/interrogating apparatus.
Also in the exemplary embodiment, there is a plurality of the security sensitive items in the secured area, each having a related RFID member, and each of the RFID members are interrogated. Also, in a specific form of the invention, at least one of the security sensitive items is, in its secured location and/or situation has its RFID member situated so as to receive an interrogating signal. Accordingly, the method further comprises providing an RFID monitoring member which is located to ascertain the RFID member that responds to the interrogation is located in its secured position.
In one form, the RFID monitoring member has at least in part a direct electrical connection with the RFID member that responds to interrogation.
In the system of the present invention, each of the security sensitive items is provided with a related interrogation responsive RFID member as described earlier herein. Also, there is provided the control/interrogating apparatus to interrogate these various RFID members as explained above. These are arranged to accomplish the steps noted above, namely interrogating the RFID members and receiving any modulated reply from the these RFID members which would indicate, either by a lack of a response and/or a response not having a certain character that these would be in a secured location or a secured situation or configuration. Alternatively, a response of a certain character would indicate that these items are in a non-secured location and/or situation. Then the remedial steps would be taken as described above.
Other features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.